With #vanlife shining a serious spotlight on camper vans, manufacturers and startups have started moving their conversions upmarket, creating vans that look and live more like larger Class C motorhomes. Last year, we saw it in the new Frankia Yucon 7.0, and brand-new Polish brand Affinity gets 2020 started early by putting its own distinctive stamp on the marketplace. Combining a rear bedroom with en suite bathroom and convertible front bunk beds, Affinity creates a modern, comfortable space for the roaming family of four.
Each time we think we've seen every possible way of arranging basic camper furniture inside a van, someone comes along and shuffles it around into an arrangement we haven't seen.
Affinity debuts at this year's CMT show in Stuttgart with an eponymous camper based on two Sevel vans, the Fiat Ducato and the Peugeot Boxer. The camper van's unique layout carves out a sort of master bedroom in back and slides two bunks beds up front.
About the only thing familiar in the Affinity is the rear location of the main bed, a 76 x 51-in (192 x 129-cm) adjustable bed that slides up to create a day lounge. An electric-actuated lift system below adjusts bed height to adjust space in the rear-access storage garage, allowing owners to fit in two bicycles or other tall cargo. The wet bathroom shifts from its usual place in front of the longitudinal bed to the side, completing a van-sized version of a master bed/en suite layout.
Up front, Affinity creates a convertible dinette that's very different from the norm. Rather than simply supporting a single bed, the two-seat bench folds out into a pair of bunks designed to sleep two young children or teenagers, making the van ideal for a family of four.
The kitchen is located smack in the middle of the floor plan, featuring an L-shaped layout that adds extra counter space versus a simple longitudinal block. The kitchen comes equipped with a dual-burner stove, sink and under-counter 90L refrigerator. Across the aisle, a slim console provides extra storage.
It looks like Affinity could make the van a six-sleeper by installing a pop-up roof or adding a bed to the 110-in (280-cm) super-high roof, but it chooses instead to maintain 6.4 feet (1.9 m) of headroom while adding a wraparound layout of overhead storage cabinets. Also part of the design is a dual cab skylight up front and a single skylight at the rear.
The winterized Affinity is designed for year-round use, and it includes a Truma Combi 4E heater/water boiler. The electrical system begins with a 120-Ah gel battery positioned low for better weight distribution. The system includes USB ports, electrical outlets and a wireless charging pad and can be upgraded with lithium batteries.
Affinity production begins this month with help from manufacturing partner Kabe AB. The Affinity camper van can be ordered atop a 158-hp Fiat Ducato with automatic transmission starting at €74,990 (approx. US$83,200) or a 163-hp Peugeot Boxer with manual transmission starting at €69,990 ($77,650). Both prices include 19-percent VAT.
Source: Affinity RV